Unfair
by Winn
Summary: CH7 up. After Butterflied. One day Sara doesn't show up for work, what will Grissom do? GSR.
1. Grocery Shopping

Title: Unfair   
  
Author: Winn  
  
Spoilers: Mild butterflied spoilers nothing big.   
  
Feedback: My first fanfic. Please, Please, Please R&R!!  
  
Disclaimer: Under no circumstances do I own CSI or any of it's characters  
  
Part One: Grocery Shopping   
  
¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤¤   
  
Sara woke before her alarm clock. As usual. Giving it a quick glance she saw that it was only 6.45pm. Nearly 2 hours until she had to be at work. Swinging her feet over the side of the bed she headed to the kitchen. That was ok because she needed to go grocery shopping anyway she thought as she emptied the last of the coffee grounds into a filter. She went through her morning routine all the while making a list in her head. Coffee, shampoo, toothpaste. Returning to the kitchen she poured herself a cup of coffee and swore as she realised she was out of suger. She REALLY needed to go grocery shopping. On her way out the door she added light bulbs to her list. The hall light had been out for the last month. It wasnt like she spent alot of time in the apartment anyways and when she did she was asleep.   
  
********************  
  
Sara took her time at the grocery store scanning each isle for the things she needed and thinking about how much frendlier these little neighborhood stores where compared to the big supermarkets. Spying something she had forgoten on the shelf, she absentmindedly tossed it in the cart. Her life had been so complicated lately and that made her apriciate the simple things so much more. Grissom loved her. That was old news, but would he ever do anything about it? What had he meant, "I couldn't?" Two little words that could be interpreted so many different ways. Did it mean he would never be able to or did it mean he couldn't then but could now?   
  
Returning her mind to the here and now she contemplated several different brands of coffee wondering what the difference was between french vanilla and normal vanilla? she gave up on trying to figure it out and grabbed the original. she'd never understand this designer coffee craze. She passed right by the milk it was always going sour on her anyways.   
  
Done with her shopping Sara turned the corner and headed towards the single check out stand. Searching through her purse she realised that her wallet was at home on the bedside table. DAMMIT!! It would only take 10 minutes to run home and get it but still! Sara was so wrapped up in her own thoughts that she didn't even see the man with the gun until he pointed it at her. She watched in slow motion as he pulled the trigger and ran out of the store with the money. Her last thought as she sunk to the floor was how much friendlier these little neighborhood stores where.   
  
The store owner franticaly called 911 before running over to Sara to try and stop the bleeding.   
  
********************  
  
Grissom walked into the break room where the night shift was gathered. Not looking up from the papers in his hand he started handing out assignments.  
  
"ok Nick you and Catherine are coming with me. We have a DB. The Luxor, suite 219."  
  
"Warrick you and Sara have a robbery/shooting. The vic, a jane doe, was rushed to the hospital....."  
  
Interupting Grissom, Warrick spoke.   
  
"Uh Griss, Sara isn't here."  
  
Looking up from his papers for the first time Grissom glanced around with a puzzled look on his face as if he expected Sara to be hiding in a corner.   
  
"Well where is she? This isn't her day off"   
  
He said while going over the schedule in his head, Sara had never been late or missed a day of work. So where was she?   
  
"I'll go try and get ahold of her. Catherine you and Nick take the DB at the Luxor" he said handing them the slip.   
  
"Warrick you get over to the robbery and I'll meet you there in a few minutes if i can't find Sara." absentmindedly he started out the door of the breakroom and stopped when he realised he was still holding the information for Warricks case. He turned around and handed the slip to Warrick before continuing out the door with a worried look on his face.   
  
******************** 


	2. The Evidence

Read disclaimer CH1  
  
Advertisements contain the only truths to be relied on in a newspaper. - Mark Twain  
  
Part Two - The Evidence  
  
Grissom reluctantly hung up the phone. He had tried her home phone and her cell phone. Either she wasnt answering, wich he highly doubted or there was something seriously wrong. Sara would never miss work without letting someone know.   
  
On his way to the crime scene Grissom called the hospital to check on the Jane Doe. Aperantly the bullet had come close to hitting her heart and she was still in surgery. He briefly considered stopping by Sara's apartment but rejected the idea. If she wasnt answering her phone chances where she wasn't there. Pulling into the parking lot of the small grocery store that had been robbed he tried calling Sara again.   
  
"Hi you've reached the home of Sara Sidle, I'm not home right now...."   
  
After leaving a short message Grissom grabbed his kit and walked over to talk to Brass.   
  
"Hey" Brass said "where you been?"  
  
"I've been trying to get ahold of Sara, you haven't heard from her have you?" he asked  
  
"Can't say that I have" Brass replied, he then proceeded to outline the case for Grissom.  
  
"Looks like your typical hold up. The victim was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Store owner, over there..." he pointed across the street to a man being interviewed by a policeman. "says that the perp looked like he was on something. I'm thinking maybe he was looking for money for a fix. Also says that the guy wasnt wearing a mask or gloves so it looks like we may get lucky."  
  
"good for us bad for him." Grissom replied as he turned to go inside.   
  
Entering the crime scene the first thing he saw was Warrick taking pictures of the crime scene.  
  
"Hey Griss, I'm just finishing up with these so you can start dusting for prints. Did you find Sara?"  
  
"No" Grissom said shortly ending the conversation before it began. The truth was he was starting to get really worried about Sara. Maybe he had finaly driven her off. Was this the too late she had spoken of? Still no matter how mad she was at him she would never have left without saying something to someone. Of that he was positive. With a sigh he forced himself to concentrate on his work. He flicked the powder brush over the glass and felt a rush when he saw five perfect prints develop on the glass.   
  
"Bingo" he said "I think we have the perps fingerprints here. He must have put his hand down on the glass while waiting for the cashier to get the money togother."   
  
Warrick looked at him quizzically "he wasn't wearing gloves?"   
  
"No Brass talked to the store owner. He wasn't even trying to hide his identity, the guy was sky high. They'll probably be able to ID him from the security tapes, the fingerprints are just a bonus."   
  
Warrick walked over to the full shopping cart and started processing it.   
  
"Toothpaste, lightbulbs, coffee. Just everyday things." He said as he proceeded to dust the cart for prints.   
  
Behind him Grissom crouched down searching for the bullet shell and spotted it underneath a shelf full of junk food. Getting down on his knees he reached under the shelf and plucked it out with tweezers.   
  
"Looks like a standard 9mm" He said as he studied the shell before placing it in an evidence bag.   
  
"Ok I think we're done here" Warrick said as he finished lifting the prints. "I'll get this evidence back the lab and get it processed.   
  
Grissom packed up his kit and handed the perps prints and the shell to Warrick.  
  
"Here take this, I'm going to stop at Sara's on the way back to the lab and I don't want anyone saying we contaminated evidence."  
  
********************  
  
Sara's apartment was just around the corner from the crime scene. Pulling into the parking lot he saw her car and started to get a bad feeling. Standing in front of her door he took a deep breath and knocked loudly. There was no answer he knocked twice more before he started to get worried.   
  
He was about to knock again when a door opened behind him.   
  
"If your looking for Sara she isn't there. She left a couple of hours ago."   
  
Grissom turned and studied the elderly woman.   
  
"Oh umm thanks.... Do you know where she went?" He said as he felt his stomach sink.  
  
"No I'm sorry"  
  
"Thats ok" Grissom said before turning and hurrying back to his car.   
  
******************** 


	3. Jane Doe

Read disclaimer CH1  
  
Don't go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first.  
  
- Mark Twain  
  
Part Three - Jane Doe   
  
At the hospital Grissom was told that he would not be allowed to see the Jane Doe from the crime scene.   
  
"We're extremely sorry sir" said the nurse "But the patients status is still critical and no one, not even law enforcement is allowed to see her."   
  
"I understand thank you, for your help" Grissom replied.   
  
The nurse must have seen something in his face that made her realise this was important because as he turned away she said.  
  
"Well if you leave your number I can call you as soon as she is moved out of ICU."  
  
"that would be great" he replied. Quickly writing down the number of his cell on the profered paper.   
  
"Thank you" he said again. This time meaning it.   
  
********************  
  
On his way back to the lab Grissom prayed that he was wrong, that the victim currently in ICU WASN'T Sara. But there really was no other explanation for it, pulling into his normal parking space he took a deep breath, trying to stay calm. There was really only one way to know for sure, follow the evidence.   
  
As he entered the CSI building the first person he saw was Nick.  
  
"Nick, have you seen Warick?"  
  
"I think he was in the lab. Hey Griss are you ok?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah I'm fine, why do you ask?"  
  
"No reason, just you don't look so good."  
  
"I'm fine" he said again.   
  
The only problem was he didn't know who he was trying to convince, Nick or himself.  
  
**********************  
  
Grissom caught up with Warrick in the trace lab where he was processing the fingerprints from the crime scene.   
  
"Got anything yet?"   
  
"Yeah just finished running the perps prints. One Christopher Warren, arrested once in 98 and again in 00 for possesion. Brass is picking him up now. Open and shut case."   
  
"Have you run the prints from the cart?" Grissom asked.  
  
"Yeah, running them through AFIS as we speak." Warrick replied.   
  
Just then there was a beep from behind Warrick.   
  
"And we have a match!"  
  
Turning around Warrick pressed a couple of buttons to bring up profile that went with the fingerprint.  
  
"Holy shit" He said queitly a stunned expresion on his face.   
  
******************** 


	4. Reflections

Read disclaimer CH1  
  
Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint. - Mark Twain  
  
Part Four - Reflections  
  
Turning he looked at Grissoms face. The man looked like he'd just aged a decade.   
  
"umm the hospital they, um they're gonna call me when she's allowed visitors" He stutered.  
  
"You knew?" asked Warrick with an incredulous look on his face.   
  
"I suspected" he said " I mean, so close to her apartment and she wasn't at work, she never misses work. I wanted so badly to be wrong."   
  
*******************  
  
Surounded by the cool darkness of his office Grissom contemplated the last three years. It had all started out so well, where had it all gone so WRONG? The choice to bring Sara to Las Vegas had been an easy one. She was smart, a good CSI and most of all she had been a friend. He didn't make friends easily but with Sara it had been so simple. Right from the start there was this amazing conection, he had just been to damn stupid to see it for what it was. Brilliant scientist that he was, he had spent these last years denying the evidence that was right in front of his face.   
  
It had taken a man like Dr. Lurie to make him see what he had become. The resemblance between Sara and Debie marlin had been only superficial. In character they where on opposite ends of the spectrum. What really worried him where the similarities between himself and the doctor. Thier careers where their lives and had been for so long that they where afraid to have anything outside of that. In a way Dr. Lurie was braver then he was because he had, had the courage to risk it all. But in the end that was his downfall.   
  
Grissom wasn't afraid that Sara's love for him was temporary. He knew that if he let her she would love him as long as she lived. But what would he do if he risked everything and she was taken from him. Everyday he saw people on the worst day of thier lives and for the most part it came with no warning at all. If that happened he would never be the same. Only recently had he realised that pushing Sara away wouldn't help. If she died today he would still never be the same.   
  
It was so fitting for him to be here in the dark surrounded by his bugs, specimens, paperwork and over it all the slight smell of formaldahyde. Throughout the years he had gotten so used to it that he didn't even notice it anymore. This was his life. Meanwhile Sara's life hung in the balance and he was completely helpless to do anything, he supposed he could go to the hospital and sit in the waiting room, pester the doctors and the nurses like any normal person would do.   
  
But what was the point? That wouldn't make them let him see Sara any sooner and besides who knew if she would even want to see him after all that he had done to her. Both of them had been dying by inches and he let it go on when he could have stopped it with one word. All he had to say was yes. Just once but again and again he had pushed her away.   
  
It was now that he was struck by the unfairness of life. Now that he had realised his mistakes, now that he was ready to do something about them, everything could be taken away.  
  
Grissom was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he did not hear the soft knock on his door nor the quiet swish as it swung open.  
  
"It's just not fair." He whispered in an anguished voice.   
  
"Nobody ever said life was fair Gil. If your only just realising that then you aren't as smart as i thought you where."   
  
Startled out of his reverie Grissom swung around and stared at Catherine.   
  
"I heard about Sara. She's going to be ok you know. She's a strong woman."  
  
"But what if she isn't? What if I'm to late?" He said blinking back the tears in his eyes.  
  
"Don't you think you've wasted enough time on what ifs?" she asked quietly.   
  
"Yes, yes I do." silently vowing to himslef that if Sara was made it, no when Sara made it. There would be no more what ifs.   
  
As if on que the phone in his pocket began to ring.   
  
"Grissom"  
  
"Hello Mr. Grissom this is nurse Hadley. I have good news and bad news."  
  
*********************** 


	5. Good and Bad

Read disclaimer CH1  
  
Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please. - Mark Twain  
  
Part Five - Good and Bad  
  
Grissom held his breath waiting for the nurse to continue.  
  
"The good news is that the patients status has been upgraded from critical to stable."  
  
Breathing a sigh of relief he fell back into his chair. Catherine looked at him questioningly and he mouthed "Sara " to her before returning his attention to the phone in his hand.  
  
"And the bad news is?" he asked anxiously.  
  
"The bad news is that the doctor has specifically stated that he wants no law enforcement personnel visiting the patient for the next 24 hours. Apparently she needs her rest and he thought that being questioned right now would put to much strain on the patient."  
  
"Oh. Well that's ok then because I'm not law enforcement personnel. Well I am law enforcement personnel kind of, but." he paused for a moment flustered. "I'm her friend, look I'm on her list of emergency contacts. You have to let me see her; I need to see that she's all right! "  
  
Obviously used to dealing with irate family members and friends the nurse replied in a calm and soothing voice.  
  
"Mr. Grissom please calm down, you know the victim?"  
  
He had forgotten that the hospital still had Sara registered as a Jane Doe.  
  
"Yes.... um... the evidence.... fingerprints.... " His brain was still stuck on the fact that Sara was ok, Sara was not going to die."Look it's a long story and I'll fill out all the paperwork later, I just need to see Sara."  
  
"Mr. Grissom if you could please give me her full name?"  
  
"Sidle, Sara Ann Sidle, that's uh one d in Sidle."  
  
  
  
"Thank you,"   
  
  
  
In the background Grissom heard the distinct click of computer keys.  
  
"Ah here we are, Sara Sidle, I see that you are listed as one of her emergency contacts. I'll have to talk to the doctor but I don't think there will be a problem."  
  
  
  
"Thank you, thank you so much. I'll be right over."  
  
  
  
"Goodbye Mr. Grissom."  
  
  
  
"Bye" He replied before closing the phone and slipping it into his pocket.  
  
He sat there staring off into space for a moment before realizing that Catherine was still there. She had moved from the doorway and was now sitting in the chair across from his desk.  
  
Getting up he began to search through the paperwork on his desk. Where in the hell had he set those keys?  
  
  
  
"That was the hospital, Sara's condition has stabilized."   
  
  
  
"So I gathered." replied Catherine raising her hand to display the keys to the Denali.  
  
  
  
"Looking for these?" She asked.  
  
  
  
"Yeah" he sighed. "I know what you're going to say, I shouldn't be driving and instead of arguing I'm going to let you drive me to the hospital. As long as you do it within the next 10 minutes."  
  
  
  
"Ok sounds good to me A little smile played on her lips. Just let me talk to Warrick first. He can gather up the rest of the crew." As she whisked down the hall she wondered about Grissom's behavior. He really coming undone, she thought with a slight shake of her loose blonde hair. "Especially if he asking me to drive.  
  
  
  
*******************  
  
Catherine was as good as her word and 7 minutes later they were on their way to the hospital.   
  
  
  
Grissom spent the 10-minute trip staring out the window watching the lights of Las Vegas whiz by. He was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he didn't notice when Catherine pulled into the hospital parking lot.  
  
  
  
"Grissom relax. You're not going to do Sara any good by giving yourself a heart attack."  
  
  
  
"Yeah" he said quietly and took a deep breath before heading into the hospital.  
  
********************  
  
Nurse Hadley was still on duty and recognized Grissom as soon as he entered the waiting room. "Good morning Mr. Grissom. Dr. Micheals is in with Ms. Sidle right now so if you'll just take a seat and fill out these forms," she said handing him a sheaf of papers. "He'll be with you when he's done."  
  
  
  
"Thanks." The CSI replied gratefully, taking the papers from her hand and sitting on the edge of a chair. Glancing over the papers in his hand it struck him how little he actually knew about Sara. He knew things like her birthday, her blood type, and her allergies, but had she ever had the chicken pox? He simply didn't know. So he left that blank. He was only halfway through the paperwork when the doctor entered the waiting room.  
  
  
  
"Mr. Grissom?" he asked the room in general.  
  
  
  
Shoving the paperwork in Catherine's general direction, Grissom jumped up.  
  
  
  
"Hello, my name is Dr. Micheals" The doctor reached out to shake first Grissom's hand and then Catherine's. "I want to assure you that your friend is going to be just fine. She was very fortunate that the bullet didn't hit her heart. She's lost a great deal of blood and it will take awhile for her to completely recover, but it could have been much worse then it is."  
  
  
  
Grissom heard the doctor's words but his head refused to believe it until he actually saw Sara. "Can I see her?" he asked hurriedly, his voice pitching and wavering simultaneously.   
  
  
  
"Well she needs her rest, but there really should be someone she knows there when she wakes up. So I'll allow one of you to go in and sit with her." He said looking at them questioningly.   
  
  
  
"Go ahead Gil " motioned Catherine with a wave of her hand. "I'll explain to the others when they get here"  
  
  
  
"Thanks Catherine." he replied absentmindedly, and gave her a kiss on the cheek before turning to follow the doctor down the hall.  
  
  
  
***************** 


	6. Awakening

Read disclaimer CH1  
  
A classic is something that everybody wants to have read and nobody has read. - Mark Twain  
  
Part 6 - Awakening  
  
Standing in the doorway of the hospital room Grissom stared at the still figure occupying the solitary bed. She had been getting thinner this last year, but she had never looked so frail before. Now it was almost like she would break if he touched her. Her skin, normaly pale, now looked to be nearly as white as that of the famous Disney character. He knew that these changes had begun long before she was shot, but now he wondered why he hadn't noticed. Had he just not wanted to see?   
  
Noting the IV bag next to the bed he winced, as his eyes traced the thin tube to where it ended in Sara's arm. It chilled him to realise that a few machines and a number of tubes where quite possibly the only things keeping her alive.   
  
He entered the room silently, the sound of his footsteps no more then a whisper. The doctor had said to let her sleep as long as possible and that she would wake on her own when she was ready. Skirting the end of the bed Grissom moved the lone chair from it's place near the window. Positioning it more to his liking next to the bed, he cringed once as it scraped the floor. He cast a glance at Sara, assuring himself she was still sleeping before sitting down. It was an odd sort of comfort knowing that in this hospital alone there where probably hundreds of people sitting exactly like this waiting for a loved one to wake up. Only a human would find comfort in knowing that others where in pain, he thought contemplating Sara's profile.   
  
The only light was that spilling in from the open door, yet even in the semi-darkness her beauty was apparent. Carefully, he slid his hand under Sara's, which was lying lifelessly on the bed. It was so cold he thought threading his fingers through hers as if, through that simple gesture, he could warm her. She stirred slightly at the contact and her hand tightened on his, causing Grissom to stiffen in both alarm and excitement. Although he was somewhat disapointed that she hadn't woken he was also relieved. He didn't want the nurses to kick him out.  
  
Leaning back in the chair, Grissom tried to make himself comfortable, wich was an impossible feat if there ever was one. Why in the hell couldn't they make these things more cozy? It was like they where trying to discourage visitors. With a sigh he gave up on the chair. He had gone through hell not knowing where Sara was, if she was alive or dead. In his mind comfort was a small price to pay for the peace of mind he got just being able to hold her hand.   
  
*****************  
  
It was early morning when Grissom looked up to see Catherine standing in the doorway. He had been staring so intently at Sara that he hadn't even noticed the other CSI enter the room. He returned his gaze to Sara as soon as soon as he realised who it was that had entered the room, as if she would vanish should he take his eyes off her for to long.   
  
Standing across the bed from him she whispered, "The doctor said we could come see her one at a time now if we agree to go home and get some sleep afterwards. I think he just wants to get us out of the waiting room." There was the smallest hint of a smile on her face as she looked at Sara."You know no matter how many times that doctor told us she was alive I don't think I really believed she was ok until right now." she said, glancing up at Grissom who nodded gravely in response. It was the only sign he gave that he heard her.  
  
Realising the futility of carrying on a conversation with him when he was in this kind of mood Catherine exited the room as quietly as she had entered it.  
  
*****************  
  
One by one the rest of the crew came in to see Sara, and everyone seemed to leave in a better mood after seeing firsthand evidence that thier friend was doing well. Grissom remained quiet as each person entered the room and whispered a few words to her. They tried speaking to him, and although it was a little insulting to be ingnored, they forgave him seeing that his mind was seemingly wandering somewhere in the far reaches of space.   
  
In reality though Grissom was wishing he could trade places with Sara. She was so young and vibrant she didn't belong here in this sterile white hospital surounded by sick people. She didn't deserve anymore pain either. Not after all the torment he himself had inflicted on her with his stupidity.   
  
How could he be so stupid as to push this amazing, inteligent and beautiful woman away from him. Yes Gil Grissom might be a scientific genius but when it came to women and relationships he was an emotional idiot. When you got old you just got so used to things the way they where, the way they had always been, that when change did come along you resisted. Even if it was the best thing ever to happen to you. Sighing he wondered when he had gotten old.   
  
Sitting there, for what seemed to be an eternity, he let the sound of her breathing calm his mind and the touch of her hand, calm his body. Until finaly he drifted off into a restless slumber.  
  
******************  
  
She woke up gradually to the feeling of bieng trapped in a dense fog. Opening her eyes she waited for her vision to clear. When it finally did she was arrested by the sight of the man slouched in the chair beside her bed. He wasn't a young man by any means and his hair was liberaly dusted with gray. In spite of all that he was, for lack of a better word, beautiful. Even in sleep there was a certain aura of strength about him......  
  
Grissom didn't wake up gradually, he never had. Feeling the weight of her gaze upon him he woke in an instant and found himself gazing directly into her eyes. They where the color of rich dark chocolate. He had never been a fan of the candy until he saw her eyes for the first time. Funny how little things like that had snuck past his defenses without him even realizing it. Nervously he ran his free hand through his hair while the other stayed intertwined with hers just as it had been all through the night.  
  
She was startled when his eyes opened suddenly, but only for a second. His eyes. They where blue, but by no means ordinary, instead they where deep like the ocean and she could almost feel herself drowning.   
  
  
  
"Hi" he said his voice gruff from sleep.   
  
"Hi" she replied looking first at their hands and then at him, getting that look she always had when she was trying to figure something out. What was wrong?  
  
Looking up, she was again caught by his eyes. There was definitly a question there but for some reason she didn't know the answer.   
  
Feeling a growing sense of unease Grissom waited to see the answer in her eyes. They had always been able to comunicate without words. Even when they wheren't speaking to eachother they had been able to comunicate this way. Seeing only confusion in her eyes his heartbeat quickened and he could feel his hands growing cold.   
  
"Sara?"  
  
******************* 


	7. Reacquainted

Read disclaimer CH1  
  
The clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society. - Mark Twain  
  
Part Seven - Reacquainted  
  
"Well Mr. Grissom, we've run every test there is to run and Miss Sidle has not sustained any brain damage. She is suffering from temporary amnesia. The operative  
  
word there being temporary. It happens quite frequently after a person has been through a traumatic event.  
  
Grissom let out a sigh of relief and sank against the wall. This was only temporary. Still it had blindsided him. He'd been expecting her to wake up and then  
  
everything would be ok again. Oh how wrong he'd been.  
  
"Do you know when her memory will start coming back?" he asked.  
  
"It could be tomorrow, it could be next week and it could be next month. You just never know with these things. My advice to you would be to surround her with  
  
familiar faces. Friends are good but family would be better. Do you know how to get a hold of her parents? Any siblings?"  
  
"Um... Her parents live near San Francisco, and she has a brother somewhere. I'll see about getting in touch with them."  
  
"That would be a good idea," replied Dr. Michaels.  
  
The doctor paused and was about to continue speaking when an alarm suddenly rang through the hospital.  
  
"All emergency personnel to ER, all emergency personnel to ER," came the loud voice over the hospitals PA system.  
  
"I'm sorry Mr. Grissom but I've got to go. If you have any questions feel free to come find me later." He said, his voice trailing off as he rushed down the hall  
  
along with several other members of the hospital staff.  
  
Watching him go Grissom let himself slide down the wall until he was sitting on the cold floor. He wasn't sure his legs would support him anymore. Staring at the  
  
closed door of Sara's hospital room he contemplated this strange situation he had found himself in. He knew now what to do about "this" the only problem being  
  
that the object of his affections now had no idea who he was! If there was a god he was certainly laughing right now, he thought wryly.  
  
Then remembering what the doctor had said about family Grissom pulled the ever present cell phone out of his pocket and began pressing buttons.  
  
"Brass" came the gruff voice at the other end of the line.  
  
"Hey this is Grissom, Sara's awake."  
  
"Great!" Brass replied relief evident in his voice. "How's she doin'?"  
  
"Well she's ok, but there have been a few complications." What an understatement. "I'll explain everything later, right now I need you to get into Sara's  
  
personnel profile and look up her parents number...."  
  
Sara was also contemplating the closed door. He'd called her Sara. Was that her name? She tried it out on her tongue.  
  
"Sara" the sound of her voice echoed in the quiet solitude of the room startling her.  
  
It seemed to fit, but then again how would she know? The doctor had assured her that her memory would start coming back soon, but when? She imagined most  
  
people would be scared upon realizing all of their memories where gone, but for some reason she felt a strange sense of relief. Like some weight had been lifted  
  
from her shoulders. Soon her thoughts turned back to the man from earlier. He seemed strangely familiar. "He must be important to me," she thought. Why else  
  
would he have been sitting beside my bed? From his disheveled state, she judged that he had probably stayed with her for at least a day or more.  
  
"Is he my husband?" Looking down at her hands she saw that she wore no wedding band nor was there a telltale indentation suggesting there had at one time been  
  
a ring. "Ok not my husband. Boyfriend?" she tried out in her mind. That could be it, boyfriend. "Well if he is I certainly have good taste," she thought with a  
  
smile.  
  
Grissom cautiously opened the door and was surprised to find her wide-awake and staring at him.  
  
"Welcome back," she said in a mildly amused tone of voice. Studying him she noted that he must have donned a clean shirt and run a comb through his hair. He had been handsome before, now he was almost devastating. Men like that shouldn't be allowed out in public she thought.  
  
"Thanks." What was so funny?? "I'm sorry I uh, thought you were asleep."  
  
"Are you kidding from what the doc just told me I've been asleep for nearly 24 hours and i get the impression that I don't normally get that much sleep. Do I? she looked to him for confirmation.  
  
"Uh no, no you don't. Well I guess I should introduce myself?" He said awkwardly shoving his hands into his pockets.  
  
"That would be good. Though I'm sure I'll remember you soon, I would like to know what to call you until then."  
  
"Gil Grissom." He paced over to the window and studied the view of Vegas it offered. It wasn't often he got to see the city during daylight hours. It looked dirty he thought. Like all the glitter of the night had rubbed off with the coming of the sun. Maybe Sara was his sun? Shaking off those thoughts he turned back to the bed.  
  
"You usually just call me Griss or Grissom. You're a CSI for the Las Vegas crime lab, I'm your supervisor."  
  
"Oh, so you're not my boyfriend." It was a statement rather then a question.  
  
"WHAT?!" It came out almost as a yelp. His mind also registered that there was a distinctly disappointed look on her face. As though even in her current state she felt as drawn to him as he was to her.  
  
"Well you must have been here a long time, I figured that I had to be somewhat important to you, why else would you be here?" Her voice held a certain inquisitiveness that was uniquely Sara.  
  
"I do, care about you I mean. A great deal actually" he stuttered in response.  
  
It must be a day for understatements he thought. The truth was he loved her more then life itself and didn't know what he would do without her.  
  
Just then there was a knock at the open door.  
  
"Can I speak to you for a minute Grissom?" asked Brass.  
  
"Yeah sure," he replied relieved at having escaped the sticky situation. "I'll be right back Sara." He said before turning to follow Brass into the hallway.  
  
When the door was closed behind them Brass began to speak.  
  
"Ok, I got a hold of her parents. They'll be on the first flight tomorrow morning."  
  
"Her brother?" asked Grissom.  
  
"Rubbing his forehead Brass replied, "No one seems to know where he is. Not even his parents. Apparently no one has heard from him in years.  
  
"Don't worry about it Brass you did what you could," he said reasuringly. "Why don't you come in and I'll introduce you to Sara."  
  
Ok I just got back from boot camp and am having to start over on CH 8 because the file somehow got lost in the last six weeks. Hopefully I will have something new to put up soon.  
  
Later all!! Winn 


End file.
